Mechanism for the advancement of the carriage of typewriters and the like



June 10, 1947. R. L. R. R. GEIRNAERT 2,421,930 MECHANISM FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE CARRIAGE OF TYPEWRITERS AND THE LIKE Filed July 28, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .ZNV-EN TUR 42 TZURNE Y June 10, 1947. R. L. R. R. GEIRNAERT 2, 0

MECHANISM FOR ADVANCEMENT OF THE CARRIAGE OF TYPEWBITERS AND THE LIKE Filed July 28, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .7 59 33 34 205 29G 32 e7 20s e5 as 209 so- I a 7 20s s2 BI ea 54 JNVENTDR Reno, l ouis flomqln, lobed GFIRN .AT Twang?- Patented June 10, 1947 MECHANISM FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE CARRIAGE OF THE LIKE TYPEWRITERS AND Ren Louis Romain Robert Geirnaert, Brussels, Belgium Application July 28, 1939, Serial No. 287,135

Claims.

The present invention relates to mechanism for advancing the carriage of typewriters or like machines.

The invention described and claimed in the U. S. A. Patent No. 2,178,037, issued Oct. 31, 1939, relates to an arrangement which satisfies several desiderata, notably, to give to the carriage carrying the paper, for instance transfer paper, a movement proportional to the width of any character engraved on the blocks carried by the type bars; to free the carriage; and also to provide for several sets of type characters in order to enable the use of several kinds of type.

This arrangement for advancing the writing carriage under the action of a spring or the like, and by which the carriage advances at each key depression, a variable distance corresponding to the width of the character struck, resides essentially in the fact that the rod serving as a sliding guide for the writing machine carriage is acted upon by two brake mechanisms carried by the frame and of which the movable one, by the striking of a type key, moves from a fixed point a distance corresponding to the width of the character and then engages or wedges on the rod, whilst the other brake mechanism, rigidly held on the frame is free of the rod, so that the carriage can also move a distance corresponding 'to the size of the character struck until the first brake mechanism returns to its fixed point.

Practice has shown that certain modifications can usefully be brought into the invention in order to simplify the construction and make it stronger and to give a more positive operation to the machine.

The present invention resides essentially in that the rod serving as a sliding guide for the carriage of the writing machine is acted upon by two brake mechanisms simultaneously controlled by a rod bearing on a pivoted bar moved by the type keys, one of the brake mechanisms being supported 0n the frame whilst the other is mounted on a slide of which the displacement is controlled by a second rod bearing on a pivoted bar moved by the lugs of the type keys.

In the annexed drawing there is represented, by way of example, one method of carrying out the present invention.

Fig. 1 is a perspective front view of a typewriter according to this invention.

Fig. 2 shows in perspective, the brakes for the proportional movement with their control arrangements.

Fig. 3 is a rear view in perspective of the mech- -anism shown in Fig. 2.

Germany August 9, 1938 Fig. 4 is a partial section on the plane I of Fig. 3.

I00 designates a typewriter according to this invention. The mechanism which controls ,.the carriage escapement movement in accordance with, or proportional to the width of a character engraved on the block carried by the type bars (Fig. 1) consists of two bars I and 2 arranged parallel to each other and forming parts of two rectangular frames pivoted on a common axis 9. The type bars 8 carrying the types in relief are pivoted about shaft 205 and connected to the keys 4 by a linkage system as usual in the art, only one such linkage consisting of link 202 and actuating lever 203 however being shown in the drawing (Fig. 1). These keys 4 contact bar I directly by means of their lower surfaces and contact bar 2 either by means of lugs 3 or by means of lugs 3 of different lengths, the lengths of which lugs define the amount which the carriage will move after the operation of the mechanism, as will be described later on.

The two gripping means for controlling the escapement movement of the carriage are arranged on a base plate or rear wall 253 secured to the machine frame, the stationary gripping mechanism being bi-directional, i. e. self-locking for movement in both directions, and the movable gripping mechanism or clutch being unidirectional, i. e. self-locking for movement in one direction only.

Both gripping mechanisms include tiltable spring urged levers B0 and El, and 34 respectively, which, by means of two buffers 206 each, embrace a rail 66 which is secured to the carriage. Levers 60, GI of the stationary gripping mechanism are pivotally mounted at B2, 63 on the stationary rear wall 253, whereas lever 34 of the non-stationary or movable gripping mechanism is, by means of pivot 35, pivotally mounted on a displaoeable clutch plate 32. Springs 65, 64 bearing against levers 60, BI are secured at 201, 208 respectively, to the stationary base plate 253, and spring 36 bearing against lever 34 is secured by means of pin 209 to the stationary base plate 253. The springs tend to tilt the levers into the locking position.

The keys 4 are provided at their lower surfaces with two lugs 3 and 3' of different lengths. Front bar 2 is arranged for being brought into opposition to either of these lugs. For this purpose, front bar 2 is of angular cross-section and is secured at both its ends to square pieces I31, I38, which are rotatably carried by means of pins I35, I36 in tongues I39, I40 of the side bars MI, [4'2 3, which together with front and rear bars 2 form a rectangular frame-like body. This rotation is limited by stops |||52.

Pin |35 bears at its other end a pinion 244 which may be engaged by a toothed sector 242 pivotally mounted at 243 to the base frame of the machine. Toothed sector 242 is connected by means of pin and slot 24| to a link 238 pivoted at 240 to a lever 236. When lever 236 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, for the typing of capital letters, angular bar 2 is in opposition to the longer lug 3 When key 4 is operated, the escapement path will correspond to the largest width of capital letters, whereas, whenlever 236 has been pushed back into the position for typing small letters and angular bar 2 has thus been tilted and into opposition to lug 3, the escapement path of the carriage will be shorter, corresponding to the shorter length of lug 3.

On pressing on a type key, the bar directly in communication with it is thus actuated and compresses a coil spring ID, in raising the rod around the lower end of which is the said spring Ill.

The other extremity of the rod carriesa dual control head 246 made of channel-section steel in the flanges of which four screws 241, 24'! are disposed in aligned pairs.

Between the screws 241, the separation of which is adjustable by simple screwing, is engag'ed the flattened extremity 248 in the form of a plate-like part of the lever 249 pivoted towards its centre, whilst the other extremity of the lever carries a head 33 against which bears a brake lever 34 pivoted at 35 on a slide 32 and pressed by a spring 36,

The slide 32 is formed with a gap 253 through which the lever 249 passes and is also formed with two apertured projections forming bearings 25| for the pivot pin 252 of the said lever 249.

The frame 253 is cut in a manner such as to form a slot 254' for a slide 255 fixed on the slide 32 and allowing this last to slide on the frame 253 and to be moved through the medium of the pivoted bar 2 which acts under the pressure of the sprin 31 and the rod 38 sliding in a support 256 which at the same time guides the rod II.

The rod 38 carries a pin 25! engaging in a slot 258 provided in one of the arms of a bell-crank lever 259 pivotin on an axis 266 fixed on the frame 253; the slide 255 carries a pin 26| which moves in a slot 262 formed in the other arm of the bell crank lever 259.

On the frame 253 are provided two apertured projections 263 forming a bearing for a pivot pin 264 of a lever 265 whose one extremity engages between the screws 24? and the other extremity carries a head 59 with oppositely inclined surfaces, the head being maintained by the pressure of the springs 64, 65 in contact with the brakes 66 and 6| pivoting about screws 62, 63 fixed to the frame 253.

The space between the screws 241, 241' is adjusted in a manner such that the levers 249, 265 only enter into action when the type bar touches the paper or is returned to its starting point,

The brakes 34, 66 and 6| are in contact with the smooth bar 66 fixed to the carriage of the machine.

Before a key is struck, the movable gripping device 34 is normally held inactive'by the lever 249 while the fixed. gripping members 66 and 6| are both actively locked on the bar 66.

On pressing one of the keys of the key-board the bar I bearing against it moves downwards at the front the same distance under such pressure and at the rear the said bar is raised since it is pivotally mounted at 9.

The rear part of the bar shown in Fig. 3 in rising lifts the rod H and also its head 246 but the lower screw 24! is set so as not to come into contact with the lever 249 until the moment when the character is about to strike, this screw permitting in effect a simple adjustment. During the operation of the key the bar 2 is also operated as follows: At a given moment by the action of the lug 3 or 3' of the key which is operated, which lug determines the movement ofthe bar 2, the slides 255 and 32 (the latter carrying the movable gripping device) are moved laterally towards the right (Fig. 2) by rotation of the bell crank 259, a distance proportional to the width of the letter on the type operated by the key since the length of the lug 3 or 3 is calculated proportionally to the width of the corresponding character. The lower screw 24? now contacts the lever 249 and further upward movement of the head 246 pivots the lever to disengage the head 33 to allow the brake 34 to move to a gripping position under the action of its spring 36.

The lower screw 24'! now comes into contact with the lever 265 which causes the head 56 to descend and thus release the brakes 66, 6| to render them inactive.

From the above it follows that before the brakes 66, 6| are released the brake 34 has been engaged and the action of the spring 6? after release of the brakes 60, 6|, tends to cause the carriage to advance but such advance is prevented until the key is released and allowed to rise.

As regards the operation of the mechanism upon the rising of the key, the type having printed its character, the brakes 65, 6! still being disengaged from the bar 56 of the carriage hilst the brake 34 is in its engaged position, spring 61 causes the carriage to move towards the left in its guides, until the slide 255 on the member 32 comes against the end of the slot 254'.

Thereafter, as the key rises further the rod descends until the upper screws 24'! and 241' will have caused the levers 265 and 249 to turn first to allow the fixed gripping member 60, 6| to reengage the bar 65 and then to release the movable gripping member 34 from such bar.

I claim:

1. Escapement mechanism for typewriters and like machines having a frame and a spring or like operated carriage travelling thereon, comprising a rail fixed to said carriage, a stationary gripping device secured to said frame and adapted to engage said rail, a movable gripping device slidably displaceable on said frame and also adapted to engage said rail, type keys for controlling the printing of type characters, means selectively operable by said type keys for moving said movable gripping device opposite to the direction of escapement a distance proportional to the width of the type character corresponding to each type key, and means for releasing and engaging said gripping devices, comprising two pivoted levers each associated with one of said devices, a common control head for operating said levers, a single rod connected to said control head, and means including a contact bar operable by the type keys for actuatin said rod and control head.

2. Escapement mechanism for typewriters and like machines having a frame and a spring or like operated carriage travelling thereon, comprising.

a rail fixed to said carriage, a stationary gripping device secured to said frame and adapted to engage said rail, a movable gripping device slidably displaceable on said frame and also adapted to engage said rail, type keys for controlling the printing of type characters, means selectively operable by said type keys for moving said movable grippin device opposite to the direction of escapement a distance proportional to the width of the type character corresponding to each type key, and means for releasing and engaging said gripping devices, comprising two pivoted levers each associated with one of said devices, a common control head for operating said levers, a single rod connected to said control head, and means including a contact bar operable by the type keys for actuating said rod and control head, said control head bein provided with pairs of oppositely disposed adjustable screws engageable with the ends of the respective levers for positively operating said levers in both directions.

3. Escapement mechanism for typewriters and like machines having a frame and a spring or like operated carriage travelling thereon, comprising a rail fixed to said carriage, a stationary gripping device secured to said frame and adapted to engage said rail, a movable gripping device slidably displaceable on said frame and also adapted to engage said rail, type keys for controlling the printing of type characters, means comprising a bell crank selectively operable by said type keys for moving said movable gripping device opposite to the direction of escapement a distance proportional to the Width of the type character corresponding to each type key, and means for releasing and engaging said gripping devices, comprising two pivoted levers each associated with one of said devices, a common control head for operating said levers, a single rod connected to said control head, and means including a contact bar operable by the type keys for actuating said rod and control head.

' 4. Escapement mechanism for typewriters and like machines having a frame and a spring or like operated carriage travelling thereon, comprising i l a rail fixed to said carriage, a stationary gripping device secured to said frame and adapted to engage said rail, a movable gripping device slidably displaceable on said frame and also adapted to engage said rail, type keys for controlling the printing of type characters, means selectively operable by said type keys for moving said movable gripping device opposite to the direction of escapement a distance proportional to the width of the type character corresponding to each type key, and means for releasing and engaging said grippin devices, comprising twopivoted levers each associated with one of said devices, a common control head for operating said levers, the pivoted lever associated with the movable gripping device being mounted for movement therewith and formed with a flattened platelike end adapted to be engaged by the common control head in any position of the movable gripping device, a single rod connected to said control head, and means including a contact bar operable by the type keys for actuating said rod and control head.

5. Escapement mechanism for typewriters and like machines havin a frame and a spring or like operated carriage travelling thereon, comprising a rail fixed to said carriage, a stationary gripping device secured to said frame and adapted to engage said rail, a movable gripping device slidably displaceable on said frame and also adapted to engage said rail, type keys for controlling the printing of type characters, means selectively operable by said type keys for moving said movable gripping device opposite to the direction of escapement a distance proportional to the Width of the type character corresponding -to each type key, and means for releasing and engaging said gripping devices, comprising two pivoted levers each associated with one of said devices, a common control head provided with pairs of oppositely disposed adjustable screws engageable with the ends of the respective levers for positively operating said levers in both directions, the pivoted lever associated with the movable gripping device being mounted for movement therewith and formed with a flattened platew like end adapted to be engaged by one pair of screws on the common control head in any position of the movable gripping device, a single rod connected to said control head, and means including a contact bar operable by the type keys for'actuating said rod and control head.

RENE LOUIS ROMAIN ROBERT GEIRNAERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 844,378 Marchthal Feb. 19, 1907 2,178,037 Geirnaert Oct. 31, 1939 

